A new initiative has been launched to provide free children’s coats to families on benefits and low incomes in Shoreham.

The Coats for Kids scheme was thought up by Lis Telcs, a teacher at Swiss Gardens Primary School, who set up a partnership between six primary schools, the new Co-op Community Space, the Lions Club and churches to collect and distribute the coats.

Volunteers sorted through the donations on Tuesday

Reverend Jane Bartlett, assistant curate at St Mary de Haura church and The Church of the Good Shepherd, said the collection went ‘even better than hoped’ with more than 150 coats donated.

“We are really pleased, the response has been amazing,” she said.

“People have been really generous.”

The coats, which were sorted by a team of volunteers on Tuesday, will be cleaned before being available for parents to pick up on Saturday mornings, from half term onwards, between 10am and midday at the Co-op Community Space in Ham Road, Shoreham.

Reverend Bartlett said they would have to wait and see how popular the scheme was, but said: “There are real pockets of poverty in Shoreham.

“The price of a winter coat, especially for a larger family, is worrying for some parents.”